NEWS

Riot Police formed a line of defense by General Lee's statue in Lee Park in Charlottesville. Picture by: Go Nakamura/Zuma Press/PA Images

9:01 13 Aug 2017
Newstalk
09:01 Sunday 13 August 2017

Updated at 12.40

Virginia's governor has ripped into the "white supremacists and the Nazis" who took part in a far-right rally in Charlottesville.

Far-right activists organised the event to protest against Charlottesville's plans to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee from the city.

But it turned violent on Saturday afternoon, as mass brawls broke out between them and counter-protesters, with people throwing punches, hurling water bottles and using pepper spray as riot police were deployed.

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe said: "I have a message to all the white supremacists and the Nazis who came into Charlottesville today.

"Our message is plain and simple: Go home. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth. Shame on you.

"You pretend that you are patriots but you are anything but a patriot."

Mr McAuliffe continued, speaking to the white supremacists: "You came here today to hurt people and you did hurt people.

"But my message is clear: we are stronger than you...You will not succeed. There is no place for you here. There is no place for you in America."

Charlottesville violence

The governor's words came after it was confirmed that dozens had been injured in the town yesterday.

A 32-year-old woman died when she was struck by a car driving at high speed that also hit a group of anti-Nazi campaigners, injuring more than a dozen others.

Charlottesville mayor Michael Signer also had criticism for Mr Trump, blaming the President for inflaming racial prejudices during his presidential campaign last year.

Mr Signer said: "I'm not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what you're seeing in America today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the president."

The FBI announced it has opened a civil rights investigation into the deadly car ramming, saying it "will collect all available facts and evidence".

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said: "When such (violent) actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated."

Around 6,000 white supremacists were expected to have attended the Charlottesville rally.